


Unspoken

by Astrogenes



Series: Tales of the Socially Awkward Assassin [1]
Category: Elder Scrolls, Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: Blood, Dubious Morality, Ethical Differences, Eventual Smut, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Mentions of Racism, Not the Dragonborn, Nudity, Occasional Stuttering, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Rough Sex, Slight Age Difference, Slow Build, Social Awkwardness, Speech Training, Teacher-Student Relationship, Violence, Windhelm is worst city of the year every year
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-22
Updated: 2018-03-03
Packaged: 2019-03-22 14:28:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,075
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13766106
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Astrogenes/pseuds/Astrogenes
Summary: Taviris Athravo, a Dunmer assassin with a certain lack in the Speech department, finds her way to Windhelm on a particularly cold night. Her decision to enter the city will impact her life way more than she would have thought.





	1. A Lone Traveller

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for clicking! This is my very first fic. English isn't my native langage so I can only hope it won't be too much of a grammatical mess. 
> 
> Taviris and the Bosmer hunter mentioned in this chapter belong to me, everyone else belongs to Bethesda.
> 
> Also Dunmers in Skyrim need more love. Enjoy!

Taviris was getting tired. She had walked a long way already, hopefully the city wasn't much farther... Sadly she couldn't tell, the night had fallen on Skyrim at least an hour ago and the snow falling in copious amounts, coupled with the freezing almost storm-like wind, wouldn't let her see past a few feet in front of her. She must have walked a bit too North. She wasn't wearing nearly enough clothes for this type of weather, nothing but thin fabric under a rather poor leather armor. This, and the heavy loot she was carrying, slowing her down considerably. Giving up half the weapons she had collected and currently got strapped on her back had been quite the tempting idea but she needed the gold.

Collapsing in the snow wasn't an option either, unless she would want to give Sithis an early visit. The only acceptable plan seemed to keep following the river she had finally stumbled upon, until it would led her to Windhelm's gates. Hopefully. She relied on her hearing alone to follow what could have been a road if it wasn't buried under the thick snow, she was more of an observer but then again, she didn't have much of a choice here. The river really was her best bet, when the wind squalls were to calm down she only had to pay attention at the sound of running water on her left so she wouldn't get too close and fall in it.

She was so focused she could easily have missed the growl on her right side. Luckily for her, it was also the side of her dagger. It went so fast, a dark mass she would recognize as a wolf jumping on her, aiming for her throat. It was stopped mid-air by the sharp cut of her dagger on its belly, landing at her feet in a whine. Not wasting a second she planted it right in its skull, ending the fight as quickly as possible, not willing to take any risk nor let the animal suffer.

"Divines... That was close." she let out in a shaky voice, lungs filling with chill air. What a pitiful death it would have been for an assassin, had she not reacted fast enough.

She kneeled next to the animal and decided to make this unfortunate encounter useful. The beast would not have died in vain, she thought while cutting out its skin and fur. A thought that made her realize the nature-loving Bosmer friend -Mallorn was his name- she made a few weeks back may have had an influence on her. It was actually thanks to him, a remarkable hunter, that she knew how to deal with the skinning. Or how she would have if her hands weren't so shaky. Damn the cold! What a mess she had done, it was a butchery. Blood barely visible on her gloves and the dark fur but so bright when spilling on the white snow. A good thing she was more cut clean and professional when it came to murder.

She decided to put the fur on her shoulders anyway, if a bit of warmth meant a blood-stained armor then so be it.

The Dunmer resumed her walking, leaving what was left of the wolf on the road. If another beast had followed her, hopefully it would settle for that served meal instead of her. But even with that in mind she had to be more careful than she was earlier, despite the growing fatigue in her legs and the dizziness slowly clouding her mind. Gods she needed a drink and a warm place to sleep. Not even something confortable, doubt she could afford it anyway, just... indoors. Even indoors felt like a luxury at this point.

Then she heard horses. A bit farther away, and apparently not moving. Stables. It could only mean one thing: she was close to the city's gate. By Azura, she made it. Finally! From what she heard about the city it wasn't exactly the best place for her to stay even just for the night, but considering her situation she would have to make do.

When she reached the city's gate, she almost threw herself inside. She didn't even see, let alone care about the looks the two guards gave her, probably thinking something on the lines of "Great, another Dunmer". Sadly she was quick to realize the uninviting mood, directly stumbling upon what seemed to be an altercation between two Nords and a Dunmer lady. It made clear that dark elves weren't appreciated here. The assassin retreated to a shadowy corner so she could listen, not wanting to get herself in trouble just yet... even though she was ready to jump on the two men with her dagger would the argument heat up.

It did not. Taviris waited for the men to go away before she approached the Dunmer lady. Not that she wanted to start a conversation with her obviously but she needed informations.

"Sorry, where... Where can I get a drink?"

No hi, no are you okay, nothing. The only sentence she could mutter was short and hesitant, just like they always were. Saying that dealing with people was a chore for her would be an understatement. Fortunately her interlocutor took no offense, seeing how worn out -and somewhat bloody- the traveller appeared to be.

"I would have said the Candlehearth Hall, but considering you're one of us... You probably heard just now what some Nords actually think of us here. You should head to the Gray Quarter."

Crickets would have chirped, if the cold hadn't kill them all yet.

"Alright, come with me."

Taviris didn't have to be told twice and followed quickly with the last bits of stamina she had. When they arrived next to the narrow stairs, the other Dunmer pointed something to her.

"See this door over there? It's the New Gnisis Cornerclub. Go get yourself a drink, maybe a meal too."

"Thank you." she replied politely, although in a bit of a rush, already going downstairs.


	2. The Flowers Were All Dead

The young assassin opened the door and was welcomed by a wave of warmth and a scent of mead. Divines, she never thought she'd ever find the smell of some alcoholic beverage pleasing, let alone reassuring. She headed straight to the counter, rehearsing in her mind what she would actually say -or at least try to say- to the bartender, but her thoughts were cut off abruptly for he talked first.

"Welcome, sister. Please enjoy yourself."

Oh, well, that was friendly. She didn't expect that, even if she picked up really quick that she was in some sort of Dunmer territory.

"T-Thanks. I'd like... a drink. Whatever I can get..." Her slightly shaky hands disposed a few septims on the counter, all she had left. "... for this."

"Alright. Have a seat, there should be plenty of space." he said, giving her a bottle of mead.

Taviris grabbed it and turned around to find an appropriate seat, which meant a secluded one, far enough from the counter so hopefully no one would talk to her. There was this little table in the corner. She deemed it good enough so she picked one of the two chairs and sat here, turning her back to the various discussions and activities of the bar. The tired traveller discarded the swords she was carrying and finally allowed herself to ease a little.

She brought the bottle to her chapped lips and the liquid ran down her throat, slowly shutting down the cold she found herself feeling even inside. She wasn't one to drink regularly, not at all in fact, but clearly she was enjoying her mead tonight. The bottle put back on the table, Taviris closed her eyes a few seconds, savouring this well-earned little moment of bliss. She heard the door open and felt the ephemeral stream of cool air that went with it but paid it no mind. It was the male voice that startled her. She opened her eyes instantly and her hand jerked a little, almost spilling the alcohol.

"I see my usual spot is taken tonight. Good evening, stranger."

She made sure the bottle was steady before she took the time to look up and meet the person's red eyes. Another Dunmer, seemingly a bit older than her but she couldn't really tell. Dressed better than the other ones she saw yet. A regular customer apparently, and she had chosen his table like the fool she was. Although he didn't seem bothered, she stood up.

"Sorry."

"Oh no, no, please stay."

"That's your table." 

"I can take another one, or perhaps we could share it? You don't have to leave, I don't mind the company."

She looked at him dead in the eyes. She was uncomfortable as always and the right answer was obviously no, but it wasn't what came out of her mouth.

"Why?"

"I see you have many swords, perhaps too many for one. You might want to sell them and I happen to have a shop. I'm Revyn Sadri, from Sadri's Used Wares."

A shopkeeper. Well, that would solve one of her problems. She sat back slowly, and he took the other chair.

"T-Taviris."

Ah yes, stuttering on her own name, brilliant. A very good to start to mercantile negociations. She would hit herself in the face sometimes.

"Pleased to meet you." He paused, looking at her. "So, about these swords of yours, I trust you didn't steal them. I don't deal with stolen goods, that's trouble I don't need."

Too bad, since she also had a few stolen pieces of jewelry in her pocket. Good ones at that, worth a satisfying amount of gold. Sadly for her most resellers were lawful, and this one was particularly emphasizing on that aspect. Well, it wasn't like she had any means of persuasion anyway, or could efficiently lie about the goods' provenance. Not that it would give her some sort of moral conflit, because it surely did not. She was just awful with words.

"No, got them in fair combat."

As fair as a fight with a trained assassin could be, that is. She noticed he had slightly frowned, probably questioning how a single person could have defeated so many people. He might have realized how dangerous she could be and, if he was to notice the trail of blood currently running down her arm, it would only get worse. This kind of stuff had made people run away from her more than once, even when she had no intention of killing them. But at least picking things on dead bodies didn't count as stealing, right? Even if the bodies were walking and breathing just prior of meeting you.

"Hi, Revyn. Here you go." The bartender said, putting the shopkeeper's meal on the table and tearing them both out of their inner reflections.

"Thank you Ambarys."

He didn't have to ask what he wanted to eat. This guy truly must have been coming here regularly if not every single day, she thought. It could have been a pleasant habit in the eyes of many, but for Taviris it seemed quite boring. The girl wasn't one to enjoy this kind of routine.

The club owner's voice echoed again, addressing her this time.

"Hey, you're getting blood on my floor."

"Oh sh- S-Sorry."

Taviris practically jumped out of her chair, grabbed her swords and stormed out of the bar in a matter of seconds. Ambarys blinked, sighed and went to tell his employee to wipe the blood, while Revyn found himself dumbfounded at how fast she disappeared. Dangerous and easily startled at the same time, what an intriguing woman. Hopefully he'd be able to meet her again and, perhaps, finish this sale.

She had run away in panic, much to her own disappointment. Her heart was beating so fast in her chest and it was for no reason she could ever consider valid. How could one execute a perfectly planned kill without blinking but lose their shit at making a stain on a bar's floor? It was ridiculous. The apology would have been enough probably, but now she had made a fool of herself. That was it, she would never go back to the New Gnisis Cornerclub. And that shopkeeper guy too, hopefully she wouldn't have to talk to him ever again.

Now she was back to her previous point, carrying weapons she didn't want to keep and having no place to sleep. She didn't run far, not at all in fact, she was actually standing in front of some other door right next to the bar. She let the swords fall in a big thud and sat on the cold stone, sighing, defeated. Sleeping outside had never been a problem for her, but it had been one of those days. The tiredness, the pain in every muscle. The cold biting her again. She forgot her bottle inside, damn it. It would have helped.

She picked a single, frozen wildflower from a crack between two stones, still beautiful but already dead, trapped in a thin cage of ice. Would she end up like this if she spent the night outside? Hopefully she would have enough strength to carry on and take the road as soon as the sun would rise. A lot of questions and prospects started to blossom in her mind, something that would occur often, so much that she lost track of the time.

"Here you are..."

Her heart skipped a beat when she recognized Revyn's warm and pleasant voice.


	3. And The Words Were Unspoken

"Y-You again."

"Indeed." he smiled. "Are you alright? What are you doing here?"

"I... I don't even know. Waiting."

"For the sun to rise? You look like you need a good night of sleep."

She said nothing, not wanting to admit she couldn't afford to rent a room. A wasted effort, for he understood perfectly. He looked at her in silence, she was desperately trying to hide her face with her hood but it was to no avail, he saw it clearly when they were inside. Harmonious traits shadowed by pitch black locks of hair and a clearly exhausted expression. A face he knew he'll have trouble forgetting somehow. Besides, an adventurer is a shopkeeper's ally, if he really needed a reason to justify his good attitude towards her.

He looked at the key in his hand and stepped forward, considering something. That's when she realized she was actually sitting on his doorstep, and got up quickly.

"I keep getting in your way." She didn't even look at him in the eyes.

"For the better, maybe. I may have a deal for you."

"I'm... listening."

"You can stay for the night if you help me."

She stayed silent, finally daring to meet his eyes to make him understand she was going to need more than that.

"You're going to rest and I'll explain fully tomorrow. Let's just say I have acquired something I shouldn't and need someone to return it to it's rightful owner as discreetly as possible." He really insisted on the last part.

"You mean... the _they won't even know about it_ type of discretion?"

"I knew you would understand."

Oh, this she could do. She wouldn't even have to kill anyone, a piece of sweetroll really. Sure it would have been even easier for her if he considered buying one of her swords right now so she could pay for shelter somewhere, but she guessed it was the only way for him to make sure she'll actually care about his problem.

"Do we have a deal ?" he asked, opening the door.

"...Yes."

Revyn invited her to come inside with a gentle gesture, holding the door for her, so she did. She grabbed the swords and stepped into the house with her hand on her dagger, unsure whether the shopkeeper would turn hostile once in his territory or if he was genuinely friendly. She wasn't one to trust easily, even when the person seemed kind. Specially when the person seemed kind, actually.

Taviris looked at the counter and the shelves in front of her. A shop indeed. She eyed a few things that were worth stealing, health and vigor potions notably, she never had enough of these. They were actually the reason why she was so poor at the moment, she had to self-train for a long time to become a proper assassin and obviously faced a few fails. The people who noticed her before she could murder them quickly were to fight for their lives with all they got, she had to give them that.

"Make yourself at home. Do you want something to eat?"

"I'll grab some bread... later. Maybe. Where do I...?" With a quick move of the chin, she pointed at the swords.

"The storage room, on your right."

She nodded and went to the designated room to get all that weight off of her, while the shopkeeper headed to the opposite side of the house. She noticed the little locked chest on a shelf right away, a stash full of gold she was sure of it, and the sheer absurdity of the situation hit her. How could he even allow her to be in this room alone? Gods it would have been so easy to rip this guy off of everything he had, including his life.

"Why... Why do you even trust me? I could..." Um, better not finish this sentence.

"I must admit it is a bit of a gamble. Probably not my wisest decision but considering you haven't killed me yet, also probably not my dumbest." she heard from across the house.

"Mh." was her only answer, not caring if he actually heard from where he was. He must really badly need her help to take this risk. Lucky for him, her only line of morality was residing on contracts and deals. If she wanted to join the Dark Brotherhood one day, respecting contracts was an absolute prerequisite after all.

Taviris finally joined the shopkeeper in the habitation area. He was tending to the fire, Divines be blessed, warmth for the night. The room felt cozy, even more when you were very close to spending the night in the literal snow. It wasn't exactly the most luxurious place she had seen but considering he was a Dunmer in the Gray Quarter, she guessed it wasn't that bad. A decent habitation for a seemingly single person. A table, pieces of furniture, food in a sufficient amount... Then she saw the small bed and something clicked.

"I have a bedroll, I am not sharing your bed."

The sentence was sharp. She would have almost amazed herself at how well she delivered it if she even realized. The look in her red eyes was surprisingly hard and cold, Revyn could only notice. He would have lied if he said it didn't hurt a little to be rejected so harshly, even more considering _he didn't even ask_.

"Of course not. Nowhere did I mention that."

Oh. See, this is exactly why she'd rather have to kill people than talk to them, she was always making a fool of herself. Or at the very least, feeling like one. Fortunately, Revyn's judgement on her wasn't so harsh and he kept acting like one would expect of a nice, considering host.

"I'll get you a bucket of water, you might want to wash that blood away. It isn't yours, I hope?"

She said no with a slight head motion and he went to fetch her the water he promised.

"I'll be in the storage room if you need anything, sorting these swords and goods you brought. Take your time."

She didn't take her time, obviously. Getting naked in a stranger's house could sound like fun, but not right now. She washed the blood off of her body, Gods it went everywhere, and even if it did make her feeling better she didn't linger on the task. She had brought another set of clothes with her so she...

The clothes. She left everything in the storage room.

"Ah... Mh. R-Revyn...?" she asked, trying to raise her voice in a pitiful attempt. She crossed her arms on her chest protectively, by instinct, even if he made no visible attempt at getting anywhere near the room.

"Yes?"

Oh by Azura, he heard, thank you.

"I left my change of clothes... in the storage room as well."

She heard him chuckle and got slightly mad.

"You're making fun of me."

"Oh, I wouldn't disrespect my guest like that." The tone was clearly amused. Taviris wasn't the kind of people to pout, but if she was this situation would have called for it.

"I'm putting your clothes on the counter." he informed.

The young assassin carefully stepped out of the habitation area... and froze. The clothes were on the counter indeed, however Revyn didn't go back to the storage room. He was arranging more potions on the shelf, not fully turning his back on her but making sure he averted his gaze. Focusing on his strategical positioning of bottles as much as possible, he couldn't really picture the shape of her distant figure but he was sure she would be very easy on the eye.

"You're not... By Azura, if you turn around I'll-"

"I do not wish to die." was his answer, still seemingly absorbed by what he was doing, and she couldn't say if he remembered what kind of person she was or if he was mocking her again.

She took what was hers and stormed back to the previous room to get dressed as quickly as possible. She wasted no time when she was done, already arranging her bedroll next to the fire and sliding into it, hoping it would prevent the shopkeeper to engage in any further conversation with her. She would fall asleep soon enough anyway... She barely heard him going to bed, and whisper, before she fell into a well-deserved slumber.

"Sweet dreams, Taviris."


	4. A Priceless Reward

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for your interest in this fic and for the kudos, it warms my heart <3

A chill morning in Windhelm. Her first, and as Taviris -wrongfully- thought at the time, probably her last. The cold was biting but not nearly as much as it was the night before. The city really wasn't to her taste but she had to admit it was better looking during the day. She passed across the cemetery and witnessed a male Nord slipping on an ice plate near a tomb, the man struggling to keep his balance and the assassin to prevent a laughter to escape her throat. Slightly giggling, she arrived in front of a large house in an other neighborhood, one in a much better shape than the Gray Quarter. It must have been here... A quick glance around her to make sure nobody would notice and she started picklocking the door. She had actually seen her "victim" in a nearby street a few minutes earlier, a good thing since she was now sure not a soul was home. The temptation to just take the key from her pocket had been great, but if this Viola Giordano was to realize the missing key she would suspect something was off.

Click.

She pushed and the door opened. Sliding inside in a swift motion, Taviris reached for the gold ring in her pocket. Quite a nice piece of jewelry, simple but elegant. Lost and found, or at least would the old lady think. Stolen then given back in sort some of rightful burglary was closer to the truth. The assassin made reverse-thief for a day noticed a cupboard next to the entrance and deemed it good enough to store the ring. A simple task really, providing you had the right skills and didn't mind trespassing. She could easily understand why it was impossible for Revyn to do it himself. Well, her good night of sleep cost her really little effort after all, and she was almost disappointed.

Might as well get a look around since she was here. The shopkeeper failed to tell her the lady seemed to have quite the good life, the house was nice. Thinking about that, Revyn actually only told her the location and to make sure he wouldn't get in trouble. He looked so tense, gods, it was only a stolen ring... The idea of leaving in his house a few of the illegal goods she was carrying herself made her chuckle. The mer would panic.

A shiny glimpse of light caught her attention: septims in a drawer. Tempting. She reluctantly closed it back, getting the gold coins out of her sight. Too bad, but taking anything would jeopardize the "absolute discretion" part of the deal. Unacceptable. Deals, just like assassination contracts, were only valid if respected.

With that in mind, there was no point in staying here any longer. She stepped out of the house cautiously and resumed her walking, heading back to Revyn's shop.

"Have you taken care of that... little problem?" he asked right away when she entered.

Taviris approached and leaned a bit on the counter nonchalantly, visibly bored.

"Yes, you can relax."

His eyes lit up.

"Thank you. Thank you! Azura's Prophecy always guide you to fort-"

He was cut off by the sudden motion of Taviris backing away. In his joyful moment of relief he had grabbed her hand, much to her surprise. Not that he overstepped the line, she could and probably should have expected this kind of contact. He was only being grateful after all.

"I'm... glad it's sorted out." she said, uneasy, trying to make him understand her reaction wasn't meant to be taken personally. She even cracked a little smile.

He looked at her silently and she had a hard time figuring what he was thinking. Truth was, that smile took him slightly aback. Never did he think he'll see a smile on that face, even less directed at him. And it was quite a beautiful sight. Revyn finally smiled back, before taking a coin purse from behind the counter, then another.

"Here's the gold I owe you for the swords, and... Here. Everything I earned from my last shipment. It's yours."

She looked at him blankly, then at the purses. That looked like quite a lot of gold comparing to what she usually travelled with. A whole payment for that ridiculously easy trespassing? Getting shelter for the night was largely enough already for such a little task.

"You're welcome."

"Oh, yes, thanks. Sorry. I'm not... very good at all these stuff. Being around people. Talking." she tried to justify herself.

"Yes, I realized."

She frowned. Sure it was obvious, but he didn't have to rub it in her face.

"I can help you with that, actually." he added before she could protest. She frowned again, in confusion this time.

"Speech training. It might be even more useful to you than gold, in the long term."

She thought she would be leaving right away after getting her payment but the new offer made her reconsider. Sure she was in it for more awkward, painful moments but he wasn't wrong, being more eloquent wouldn't hurt. At this point, it was practically needed.

Later that day, right after the end of business hours, she was given her first lesson. She cleared her throat, feeling his benevolent yet slightly destabilizing gaze on her, and tried to talk.

"I-I didn't suspect such a cold weather when I first came here..."

"Well, this is Windhelm for you. But is it really small talk you want to train on?"

"I... don't know? What should I...?"

"Let's try something useful and simple. Pretend I'm a shopkeeper and talk to me, try to get the best price you can for... here, this mace." he said, referring to the one on his counter.

Taviris looked at the object and tried to wrap her mind around ways to negociate efficiently, what to say, where to even start. Not a word and she was already lost. In an attempt to stay focused on the exercise, she repeated what he said for herself.

"So, I pretend you're a shopkeep- Hey. You _are_ a shopkeeper."

He chuckled.

"Stop mocking me..." she said in an low, slightly mad whisper. It was more venting than actually asking him to stop, and he had to admit it was a bit endearing. He waited a moment for her to start the exercise but still nothing came out.

"Taviris."

"Look, I'm trying my best, alright? I'm good with my hands, not with my mouth!" she shouted, suddenly frustrated. Very unusual of her. Why in Sithis' name was this more stressful -and harder to accomplish- than a literal murder? And then she realized the double-meaning of what she just said. Her mind went blank for what felt like a century.

"You might want to... rephrase that." The barely contained laughter in his voice was unmissable. He was trying so hard to keep his composure, it was almost painful.

She looked at him and, unexpectedly, the embarrassment vanished to the benefit of a burst of laughter. He couldn't help but follow her instantly. Her stomach soon started to hurt from laughing so much and it took them both several minutes to calm down, still looking at each other with amused eyes.

"Gods, thank you for this."

"Let's... never talk about it again. Please." she said in a playfully pleading way.

"I can't promise that."

She rolled her eyes, suppressing the urge to punch him lightly on the arm like she would with a close friend, and tried to get back into focus. The lesson was as difficult as she thought, yes, but not nearly as unpleasant.


	5. To Intimidate Or To Persuade

It had been a few months since her first speech training, and while Taviris was still keeping her distance with people, she had to admit speaking got quite easier. She would still remain as quiet as possible and avoid any unnecessary conversation, but when she had to talk it wasn't so hesitant anymore. It was far from perfect obviously but as long as the discussion was brief enough she could talk loud and clear and keep a resolved tone. She was even able to see the impact, people were taking her more seriously already.

All this time, she had been gravitating around Windhelm. Sometimes she would go rather far, disappearing for days, even weeks at times. Helping people for gold, stealing some also, searching for abandoned objects and taking quite a lot of lives on the way. Not that she really wanted to, it clearly wasn't the funniest thing to do in her book. She only liked the methodical aspect of planning and executing a perfect assassination, and there was sadly nearly nothing methodical in defending oneself against wildlife and bandits.

She would go back and visit the Stormcloak city quite often, always bringing back loots for Revyn to resell in payment for the training time. The girl had plans for the future, but nothing that could be pursued without gaining more confidence in herself first. It was taking some time but she deemed it important to go through every lesson, even if it wasn't always easy to find enough goods and gold to pay for it. Even though, it was honestly the least she could do considering he was allowing her to stay at his place freely whenever she was in town. She would cook to thank him for his hospitality, which he noticed she was actually fairly good at, he wouldn't have guessed. The rest of the time she was reading books, the ones on his counter, while he was busy with clients and suppliers. He couldn't get her to speak much, but they would exchange looks quite often.

The training was going well. They had been working on Persuasion lately, as it was still the case that evening.

"Not bad, not bad at all. Now this won't work with everybody you meet, obviously. Some people can't be reasoned with, moreso on the roads, and most of the time you can tell from the start. What would you do in this case?"

"I kill them?"

Revyn tensed a little on his chair. He really wanted to ignore the fact he was teaching a criminal but she kept reminding him.

"Taviris no, less... drastic. You can't just kill people at the first slight inconvenience."

Oh yes she could.

"So... I threaten them I guess."

"Intimidation, yes. Depending on how well you deliver it, your interlocutor could either forfeit or attack. If you're convincing enough no blood has to be shed. Come, we're going to try something." He pushed his plate and got up, moving away from the table. She followed, reaching for her steel dagger.

"You won't be needing that, words only."

"I would use it in a real situation."

"You might get your opponent to turn hostile right away. Also I don't doubt you could scare pretty much anyone with this, but I am precisely training you in dealing with various situations without weapons."

She sighed slightly and got the dagger back in its sheath. "Alright, context?" 

"Let's say I'm a thief." She laughed. "Uncanny I know, but focus. I'm coming at you, armed..." He moved a bit closer to her, taking the little iron blade out of his belt.

"Oh so you get to have your dagger but I don't."

"That's because I'm trying to rob you, young lady, which you didn't expect. Besides you shouldn't interrupt me, I know what I'm doing. I'm your trainer, remember?"

"No, you're a filthy thief."

That smug little smile on her face... He couldn't even be mad, this well-timed taunt proving she was getting more confident. It was a side-effect of his training after all.

"Nice one... Can we begin?"

She nodded and Revyn cleared his throat. He was getting into the character, dagger in hand.

"Hand over your valuables if you wanna stay alive!"

"I, um... You should back away if _you_ wanna stay alive." she replied, a bit hesitant.

Even if he was seemingly serious and used the kind of vocabulary road thieves probably would, she was having a hard time picturing Revyn as an actual thief. Let alone an actual threat.

But she should have.

"Nice try, but you don't scare me."

It went very fast. She only let her guard down for a mere second, but it was enough. Still focused on her failed attempt she forgot the primary rule: the exercise doesn't stop until the trainer says so. So he went on with it, he did attack her. Was it him or the shock that pinned her best against the wall, she couldn't say. Her dagger hand, which went on its designated weapon by instinct, was unable to move. He had quite the grip on her wrist and his other hand, still holding his own dagger almost planted into the wall next to her face, was caging her.

"Lucky for you, I am not your enemy. You would be dead by now."

"I know that..."

But it was his fault. Because he wasn't credible enough in her eyes, because she... she trusted him. Oh who was she trying to fool? An assassin should never be taken by surprise like this, no matter the circumstances. The fault was hers. She was so mad at herself for not seeing it coming. Gods, defeated by a lawful shopkeeper. She never realized he had that ressource in him, that strength. The way he was looking at her was unsettling, and not necessarily in a bad way. He didn't seem keen to move.

"Too late for Persuasion?" she asked in a last resort, softly, red eyes peering into each other.

"Try."

So many things she could say, but only one that felt right.

"Kiss me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do you hear that? It's the sound of smut coming in the next chapter ;)


	6. No Words Needed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woops, here it is ;)  
> I hope it won't disappoint!

Language is a powerful thing. The right words at the right time could significantly alter one's day, sometimes one's whole life, in good or bad.

For our Dunmers it took only two words, and for a moment everything else just lost any kind of significance.

Her parted lips, slightly trembling at the realization of what she just said, were met with his in a matter of seconds. It was a bit rough and urgent, the expression of a frustrated state he was suddenly allowed to display. He had wished for this for quite some time now, but never thought he would actually be given the chance. There was something inherently attractive about her, an aura of danger difficult to grasp for an honest mer like him. This girl was trouble, and Gods did he wish to be in trouble right now.

Their exchange turned softer as she melted into the kiss, and Revyn obliged. He would give her so much more if she so wanted. He let go of her wrist, not wanting to constrain his student any longer, but certainly not expecting her to wrap her arms around his neck and pull him closer like she did. If it wasn't for the leather armor she was wearing, he would have felt the soft amplitude of her breasts against his chest. The proximity caused a glimpse of burning hope to emerge in the male Dunmer.

Their lips finally parted, but before he could say anything he was blessed with a new kiss. A short one, meant to keep him quiet.

"Enough words." she whispered, looking at his lips instead of his eyes, clearly hungry for them. For him. It was so seductive he felt his cock twitch.

From the very moment she asked him to kiss her, Taviris was acting on instinct. If there was one thing that could throw her inhibitions out the window, it was desire. Was it the progressive closeness between them that allowed it to build within her, or his own untold desire, she couldn't say. But the fact that he went out of his way to pin her against the wall really set her aflame, and now she wanted more.

Had he been a bit younger he would have taken her here and then. Not that he wouldn't gladly nail her on the wall with his loins until she couldn't walk anymore, but he knew better. Some rushed, impersonal humping, she could get with anyone. He would make her remember. He would make her come back to him.

A metallic sound echoed in the room. Revyn's dagger had fell on the floor, no longer supporter by his hand nor the wall. His now free hands were quick to discard the girl's armor, hungrily kissing her just like her eyes seemed to beg him for.

She unbuckled his belt and let it fall next to the dagger, so he decided it was time for him to get rid of his tunic as well. Taviris could only approve, taking a satisfied look at the half-naked mer in front of her. She quite liked how he was built, not like a warrior or an adventurer but manly nonetheless. Arms she could picture holding her, with hands she had found herself observing quite a lot and was now craving all over her. She was quick to pull him back against her wanting body, much for his satisfaction.

He took advantage of the situation, burying his head in the crook of her neck so he could kiss the sensitive grey skin of his soon-to-be lover. She smelled like plum blossom and amber, a combination he found to be intoxicating. One of his hands moved to hover a breast, eager to touch, to feel her. The single piece of clothing left between them was so thin Revyn could trace the soft curve and peak with his fingers. He couldn't repress the sudden urge to run his tongue along her neck, drawing a longing sigh out of the young assassin. 

This, and how his pelvis was pressing against hers, grinding slightly. The feeling of being wanted that bad made her weak. She pushed him gently and reached down to take her pants and smalls off in one go. Revyn got the message pretty clearly, picking her up so they could get closer to the bed, getting her to wrap both her legs around his waist and cling unto him. He sat on the side of the bed with the girl on his lap and took away the last piece of clothing she was wearing, finally revealing her gracious figure. She definitely had the firm, slender body he would expect of an assassin. Her well-rounded breasts caught his attention, slightly larger than what he had seen on other Dunmer ladies, and very much to his taste. The warm light coming from the fireplace was dancing on her skin, highlighting every line and curve. He had never seen anything so inviting.

His fingers outlined her stomach and her hips, causing delicious shivers in their trail. He could do this for hours, discovering and slowly conquering every part of her body, if his own didn't urge so bad for them to become one. It had been quite a long time since he last bedded a woman, sadly, and judging by the eagerness his black-haired beauty was displaying she needed it just as bad as he did. Initiating a new heated kiss, she had loosened his pants and discarded the loincloth, soon taking his almost painfully hard cock in her hand.

She stroked his length repeatedly, eyes locking with his when they weren't focused on her task, biting her own lip as she processed. She would go torturously slowly at times only to make it feel even better when she decided to speed up. She wasn't lying when she said she was good with her hands.

"Divines, Taviris..." he whispered and she smiled playfully. Surely he was appreciating this newly discovered facet of her personality. Who would have known someone so distant could also be so carnal?

He cupped her ass and she instinctively raised her hips, allowing one hand to reach under her and gently caress her womanhood, which was instantly rewarded by a needy whine. Revyn couldn't help but wonder what other beautiful sounds he could elicit from her and made it his own personal quest to find out. Slightly parting her folds he realized just how drenched in her own arousal she was. She was so ready for him he would have been a fool to wait any longer.

As good as her hand felt on him the mer had to make her stop, he had to take her. Now. They were so close, so willing that a single, well adjusted thrust upwards was enough to do the trick. He didn't rush it, going quite deep, he wanted her to feel him claiming her warm, needing body. Making her his for the first time. And she did. A moan escaped her mouth, the young assassin gripping on the shopkeeper's shoulders, allowing him to invade her to his heart's -or rather his dick's- contempt. His assumption was true, it had been a long time since she last had the pleasure of feeling a man inches deep within her, and Gods did she miss it.

Revyn was rather large, what a lucky girl she was. Their heated bodies were quick to adjust to each other and soon she started to roll her hips needily. His slender hands went back on her ass, squeezing the soft flesh firmly so he could accompany and even maneuver her rocking motions. What a wondrous Dibellan view he was blessed with, his fair, priorly unapproachable student riding his cock with an almost feline grace and moaning for him, her perfect breasts right before his eyes. She seemed to like having him guide her so he didn't hesitate, impaling her on his shaft at a steady pace when she was to slow down a bit too much for him, lost in her own pleasure. And yet, the more he gave the more her body craved.

"H-Harder..." she asked.

"Oh yes, you deserve it."

His voice was tainted by lust, and both the tone and the words doubled the fire in her nether regions. Being told she deserved to be fucked hard had just been proved incredibly hot to her.

A well-earned reward for driving him crazy with desire and feeling so good, he thought. He lifted himself abruptly, going even deeper, so he could roll her over on the bed without having to pull out.

"Gods!" she shouted, not expecting such a brutally good thrust.

"I'd rather have you say my name." he whispered in her ear, placing her head on the pillow, his breathing a bit shattered by both the effort and the anticipation of how hard he was about to plow her.

The grey skin of her cheeks turned into a slightly warmer color. It wasn't every day she could find such a good, considering lover who could also reduce her to a moaning hot mess. The last part didn't take long to happen for he steadied himself on the bed, caging his more than willing victim and realigning their bodies so he could efficiently slam into her. And he did, repeatedly, toying a bit with her before settling for a nice, rough pace she was glad to endure. She cried out, not very loudly but he didn't mind, there was no doubt in the world she was feeling damn good. She was even more beautiful when she was a mess, legs wide open for him, eyes shut and lips parted, disheveled hair spread on the pillow like a black sun crowning her head. 

"R-Revyn... yes... more..."

Ah yes, that was exactly what he wanted to hear. She reached for him and he couldn't resist, his upper body melting into her arms but he was still pounding hard into her. He was starting to pant and so was she, toes curling and nails about to dig into his back, however as he suspected she wasn't the loud type. Her voice was weak with pleasure, her moans smooth and wholehearted, a wonderful music to his ears. But maybe if he changed his angle just a bit... Maybe he could get her to lose her mind.

"Revyn!" she cried out this time. He had lifted her hips slightly, in an apparently successful attempt at finding her special spot.

"Louder... I want the whole Quarter to know I'm bedding you."

This guy really had his way with words and it worked like magic on Taviris. But to be loud, her, of all people..? And yet she just knew she wouldn't have to force it one bit, he was going to make her do it all by himself. He kept thrusting harshly, their lower bodies clashing like they were animals in need, and she was being more vocal already.

Soon his assaults became more erratic, she was feeling entirely too good for him. Yes, what a good lay she was, hips instinctively grinding up to meet his, insides clutching on his cock... and finally screaming, giving herself up to the orgasm overwhelming her, just like he wanted. Again it was his name on her lips, as she couldn't do anything but let the pleasure submerge her mind and body, completely losing control. Revyn joined her in ecstasy just a few moments later, spilling his seed deep inside her in a few last, desperate thrusts. Risky, one might think, but she couldn't care about it right now and neither could he. Hell, they wouldn't even care later, there were potions for that after all.

He pulled out, out of breath but an overly satisfied grin on his lips, to rest next to her on the narrow bed. Too small for the two of them unless they cuddled, so they did. The room fell silent again, if not for the flickering of the fireplace and their troubled breathing slowly calming down. Words still weren't needed. He tried to place a tender kiss on her lips and she accepted, giving it back tiredly.

She had to leave early the next day. Going to Riften for the first time, she told him earlier. Every time she stepped out of Windhelm there was a chance she wouldn't come back, he was well aware of that. Bad encounter or simple change of mind, anything could happen. He sure wasn't the only shopkeeper and probably even not the only Speech trainer in Skyrim, it wasn't like she needed him specifically.

Or maybe she did, after tonight. There was something in her smile, something that told Revyn she would come back for him.


End file.
